by Tomer Elkayam (interview)
An interview with Tomer Elkayam, a talented photographer based in Los Angeles and his sensual black and white series featuring stunning Sydney Ladd, enjoy!
Know more about Tomer at instagram.com/tomerdavid_
In a few words, tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Tomer Elkayam. I’m a 22-year-old photographer, and a recent graduate of the University of Michigan.
How long have you been a photographer?
I’ve been a photographer for 3 and a half years now.
How did you discover photography?
I discovered photography when I was in middle school, at the age of 13. We had to sign up for at least 1 extracurricular course per semester, and photography was the only class that wasn’t filled up, so I signed up for it.
How was your first shooting? What did you shoot?
My first shoot was for my guys over at Sticker City in Van Nuys. I have always been obsessed with cars, and they gave me the opportunity to shoot one of their celebrity client’s cars. It was rough at first. To be honest, I was more focused on the car than my camera and I kept moving the car around and used the sun as an excuse.
How would you describe your style?
I wouldn’t really say that I have a specific “style” because it’s very dependent on location, weather, the model, and other factors. In a general sense, though, I would describe my style as black and white implied nudity photography, capitalizing on natural lighting and raw beauty.
What does photography mean to you?
It’s hard to explain what photography means to me. I have always been the type of person that gets bored of hobbies easily, and not only has photography withstood that, it has become a huge part of my life. I have never been the most creative person, the most well dressed person, nor am I the best storyteller, so photography is a great vice for me. In addition, photography is very adaptive to personal growth and emotion. As someone who has lived a very structured life, photography is a craft that allows me to go beyond my own boundaries and explore a creative side.
What inspires you?
The people that I surround myself with inspire me the most. Those closest to me push me to be a better photographer and improve my craft, but more importantly, they push me to be the best version of myself, which ultimately affects my photography as well.
What would you like to photograph?
I wish I could have done more photography in the Midwest. This place is absolutely beautiful and the people here are beautiful too. I think photographers and agencies alike should at least try tapping in to this market, because they’re really missing out. I definitely want to come back here to shoot.
A photographer you particularly admire?
Hedi Slimane. Hedi Slimane. Hedi Slimane.
I have to give an enormous shout out to Marcus Hyde, however, because without him, I wouldn’t be where I’m at with my craft today. I have and will always admire his work.
What is happiness?
I think happiness is a decision. Things happen circumstantially, whether they may be good or bad. Whether or not we decide to face the things that make us unhappy determines our happiness. The hardest thing to do is to know that not everything is good, but finding the good in everything. As they say, a broken clock shows the right time twice a day.
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Lake Como, Italy.
What’s your next goal?
Displaying my work publicly, hiding in the crowd and listening to people’s reactions to my work.